When my grandmother passed away, and we were going through her things we found box upon box of brand new nightgowns, housecoats, and houseshoes. They were still wrapped in tissue paper, and many of them still had gift tags on them.  As we moved through the house we found this situation repeated over and over;  napkins and table clothes still in their packages, bath towels and fancy hand towels still with tags on them.  And don’t even get me started on the fine china, silver, and crystal that only saw the light of day at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter.  Perfume, powder and bath crystals that were never opened.  Purses that were never used.  Many still in the gift bags.

Start living now.  Stop saving the good china for that special occasion.  Stop withholding your love until that special person materializes.  Every day you are alive is a special occasion.  Every minute, every breath is a gift from God.  

Mary Morrissey

All of these beautiful things, things that were hand-picked for her by family and friends, things that she saved up to buy, and then only saw a few times a year, she never got to truly enjoy them.  To savor them.  To celebrate life in or with them.  Because she was saving them for a special occasion, for someday, for one day.  And then life happened.  The everyday, ordinary, run of the mill day to day life.  And because she didn’t see those days as worth celebrating the bags never got opened, and the tags never got removed.  And that made me really sad.  Many of those gifts were from me, or I was with my mom when she purchased them.  I remember how excited she was when she opened them, and how excited I was to give them to her.  But she never got to truly enjoy them.  And that got me started thinking, what things do I have in my life that I am not enjoying to the fullest?  Do I have items that I am saving for a special occasion?

Don’t save something for a special occasion.  Every day of your life is a special occasion.  

Thomas S. Monson

I quickly realized the answer to this question was yes.  I had perfume I only wore on special occasions.  I had dresses that were too fancy for my ordinary everyday life.  Journals that were too pretty to write ordinary thoughts and feelings into.  Meals that I only cooked when company was coming.  Placemats and napkins that I just used when there were more than 3 people at my table.  And on and on it goes.  And that made me sad.  Life is such a beautiful and precious gift.  And the little family that God had given me to do life with is also a beautiful and precious gift.  What a gift it is to just be alive today.   I need to remember this is not a dress rehearsal, this life I have been blessed with deserves to be lived to its fullest.  And the people in it need to be celebrated every single day.  And you know what else?  I deserve to be celebrated every single day.  I am worth the pretty dresses and the sweet smelling perfume.  My everyday words and thoughts are worth all the pretty journals.  My life is worth living to the fullest every single day.  Because life is indeed a celebration.  How many times have I waited for the perfect moment, for everything to fall into place?  Ultimately life is made up of moments.  We can sit back and wait for them to happen or we can choose to create them.

The secret to being happy is accepting where you are in life and making the most out of every day.

It’s time to start using the good stuff.  Instead of storing family heirlooms I will use these treasures to create new memories around them with my own family.  I will burn the candles, I will use the good sheets, and I will wear the pretty dresses.  Would you like to join me in this pledge?

Always keep a bottle of champagne in the fridge for a special occasion.  Sometimes the special occasion is that you have a bottle of champagne in the fridge!.

Hester Browne